This a movie review of THE RAID.

If I father a son in the near future, I’m going to call him The Raid. Yeah, I love this film. For action junkies, you’re likely to overdose. Fist fights, gun fights, knife fights. All jammed into a runtime of less than 105 minutes. The plot is DIE HARD lean: an Indonesian SWAT team head into a highrise apartment block in control of ruthless crime-lord, Tama, to arrest him. Practically every flat contains a ne’er-do-well. Talented Jaka tactically leads the police operation, but overall the most senior is a lieutenant, who seems pretty dodgy.

The real star is a rookie, Rama. We witness his morning regime; reminiscent of Jackie Chan’s in WHEELS ON MEALS. THE RAID opens with Rama, and the majority of our focus is on him. Played by Iko Uwais, an action hero has been born. He is formidably adroit using every weapon at hand.

Needless to say, things go spectacularly wrong. The SWATs are overwhelmed and outmanned in unfamiliar territory. Bring an oxygen canister, as proceedings are both breathless and breathtaking. Almost unrelentless, we witness an energy not seen since the peak of John Woo: HARD BOILED. Set-piece to set-piece to set-piece.

There’s a vague commentary on police and political corruption. The lack of allegory, and passable characterisation, can be forgiven here when the choreography is this exhilarating. Director Gareth Evans take a bow!